Tips to stay close with your kids when work keeps you away.
Do you feel like work sometimes keeps you from being the parent you want to be? You’re not alone — many parents in skilled construction and trade professions struggle to balance work and family life. Some days it feels like work owns your schedule, and you miss little moments at home — homework, bedtime routines, or a quick chat over dinner.
The good news is that staying connected doesn’t require perfection. A short phone call, a quick text, or a note can go a long way toward keeping your family close, even when you’re on the job. When work keeps you busy or on the road, small everyday gestures can make a big difference in staying connected with your kids.
Create a daily ritual. Stick with it, even if it’s brief, so your kids feel seen and connected.
Simple Actions to Try
- Call or video chat with them during a break
- Share a photo from your day — a view from the job site or something you’re working on
Even brief gestures can have a big impact. When kids feel remembered and included, it helps them feel secure, supported, and loved — even when you can’t be there in person. Over time, these moments build trust and strengthen your relationship. They remind your children that your care and attention are always with them, helping your family feel closer, even during long stretches apart.
Simple Ways to Stay Close
- Leave a short voice message before work or bedtime
- Keep a shared photo album for quick updates
- Celebrate small wins
- Listen fully when you’re home
Parenting isn’t easy, and it’s normal to feel stretched thin. But even brief, thoughtful actions — a check-in, a shared laugh, or a moment of listening — help your children feel loved and connected. By taking a few minutes each day to connect, you’re creating habits that strengthen your family bonds and show your kids they matter. Because at the end of the day, the work you do provides for your family — but your presence, even in small moments, is what truly builds them up.
If you would like to speak with a counselor about any challenge you are facing, resources are available.
In Kansas City, contact Carpenters Wellness Center-Kansas City at 816.884.9355 to make an in-person or virtual appointment with Jesse Sieve, Behavioral Health Specialist. Jesse works with participants and family members, 18 and older, as well as couples.
You may also contact:
- Mercy’s MAP by calling 800-413-8008 #2. The MAP provides free, confidential, short-term counseling to participants and anyone that lives in their household.
- Carpenters Wellness Center-St. Louis at 314.955.9355
